1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of adjustable contour pillow constructions in general, and in particular to a remote controlled hydraulically actuated adjustable pillow construction.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,308,489; 5,497,520; 5,708,999; 5,771,514; and 5,898,963, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse pneumatically actuated pillow constructions.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical hydraulic cylinder arrangement wherein a foot pillow having independent foot support surfaces can be selectively varied among a number of different support contours via a remote control.
As anyone who has purchased an adjustable bed is all too well aware, the customer is paying a fairly exorbitant price for a variety of mechanical adjustments that they will never use.
While there are many instances wherein there is a well defined need to provide an elevatable foot rest on a long term basis such as for obesity, heart disease, and chronic back pain which might justify the more expensive solution such as an adjustable motorized full bed support, there are also a number of relatively short term physical conditions such as pregnancy, broken ankles, foot surgery, and periodic lower back pain that can hardly justify the cost of a fully adjustable bed.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved portable, low cost, multi position leg pillow support apparatus that can be operated by remote control while the user is in the supine position, and the provision of such an apparatus is the stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the leg pillow support apparatus that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general, a foot support unit, a base unit, and a control unit.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the support unit comprises a pair of independently actuated foot support members each including a contoured molded foot rest suspended above the base unit by two pairs of hydraulic piston members arranged in a criss cross fashion on the upper portion of the base unit.
The base unit in turn, comprises a base member including a rigid support plate that is engageable with the lower portion of each of the hydraulic piston members and which rests on top of a foam pad element that is adapted to rest firmly on top of a mattress in a non slip fashion.
In addition, each of the hydraulic piston members form a portion of and are responsive to the control unit that includes a remote control member operatively associated with a plurality of stepping motors wherein each stepping motor controls the height of the individual hydraulic pistons to raise and lower.